<<VALENTINES DAY MUSIC PERFORMANCE Benita Charles will perform songs from her forthcoming CD, Moments in Love, with special guest Grace Gaia. Benita is more than an artist and fully fits the definition of a true entertainer. Thurs., Feb. 10 at 9pm. Alphabet Lounge, 104 Avenue C. $8. 212-780-0202.

Current and noteworthy:

after ashley, a blisteringly funny and deeply poignant story about a teenage boys odyssey as he navigates the joys and terrors of life - all through the prism of a media firestorm, when a family tragedy makes him a national figure, VINEYARD THEATER, 108 E. 15th St., Tue.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 3 p.m., previews begin Feb. 10, opens Feb. 28, $50, 212-353-0303.

all wear bowlers, two silent film clowns fall off the screen to find themselves trapped in a live clown show. In this existential nightmare, they employ all the tricks of their trade in an effort to escape it in this two-person absurdist play that melds physical comedy with visual metaphor, stage magic and vaudevillian patter in an exploration of identity, memory and amnesia, HERE ARTS CENTER, 145 Sixth Ave., Wed.-Sun., 8:30 p.m., Feb. 17-Mar. 12, $20, 212-868-4444.

A number, a son confronts his father with the startling knowledge that he has genetically identical counterparts and is merely one of a number, the work deals with a timeless inquiry aimed at the intersection of morality, nature versus nurture, and the very substance of love, NEW YORK THEATER WORKSHOP, 79 E. Fourth St., Tue., Sun., 7 p.m., Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 2 p.m., through Feb. 13, $65, 212-239-6200.

cabaret hell, 45 minutes of variety show torture with sketched and lyrics by Tony Lang, music by Woody Regan, and directed by Miriam Fond, performed by the above as well, ROSES TURN, 55 Grove St., Sun., 6 p.m., open ended, $12, 2 drink min., 212-366-5438.

cellphones, set in the modern day where the only place to find a job is with the Department of Homeland Security, eleven strangers discuss numerous topics as they wait for the new recruiting office in Central Park to open, discussion ranges from the war in Iraq to, of course, cellphones, LA MAMA E.T.C., 74 A. E. Fourth St., Thu.-Sun., 7:30 p.m., Sun., 2:30 p.m., through Feb. 13, $20, 212-475-7710.

the confessions of punch and judy, a fresh take on the centuries-old sparring partners, whose all night argument spins like a hurricane across a landscape of love, doubt, violence, erotica, desire and the nether regions of commitment and intimacy, HERE ARTS CENTER, 145 6th Ave., Wed.-Sun., 7 p.m., through Feb. 20, $15, 212-868-4444.

eat the taste, offering audiences a chance to see politics and music in action, following John Ashcroft as he focuses on his one man Broadway musical, featuring one catchy new tune by the duo that wrote Urinetown, BARROW STREET THEATER, 27 Barrow St., Mon., 7 & 9 p.m., open ended run, $20-$25, 212-239-6200.

east village chronicles - Volume 2, eight new plays devoted to cultures of the Lower East Side, celebrating the ethnic and cultural sub-cultures of the eclectic neighborhood by a bright constellation of up and coming playwrights, METROPOLITAN PLAYHOUSE, 220 E. Fourth St., Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sat., 3 p.m., through Feb. 13, $15-$19, 212-995-5302.

finding claire, a wealthy, well-meaning New York City dancer seeks out and writes to her birth mothers home, hoping for a family connection, but instead finding a family in crisis, THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY, 155 First Ave., Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 3 p.m., through Feb. 20, $10, 212-254-1109.

the fourth commandment, a delightful romantic comedy with a touch of old music about an elderly man and woman who overcome many social obstacles in order to indulge in some sinfully delicious delights, THE BARUCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 17 Lexington Ave., 9th fl., Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 12:30 p.m., Feb. 18-27, $25, 646-623-3488.

the great one-man commedia epic, a treat for physical theater fans, scholars of dramatic history and the fun-loving child in all of us, this remarkable event is sure to please anyone who wants to see how modern comedy began 500 years ago as well as those who are looking for laughs today, THE RED ROOM, 85 E. Fourth St., 3rd fl., Tue.-Sun., 8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 3 p.m., through Feb. 18, $25, 212-868-4444.

italian american reconciliation, a revival of John Shanleys show about a divorced man trying to win his ex-wifes heart back while his lifelong buddy tries to convince him he would be better off with his new waitress friend, GENE FRANKEL THEATER, 24 Bond St., Feb. 4, 11 & 18, 8 p.m., Feb. 12 & 19, 7 p.m., Feb. 13 & 20, 5 p.m., Feb. 19, 3 p.m., $20, 212-268-4444.

joan rivers, the legendary comedian sharpens her claws for awards season in front of the red curtain at the subterranean hotspot Fez this fall, a raunchy & politically incorrect evening of stand-up comedy, FEZ, inside Time Cafe, 380 Lafayette St., Wed., 8 p.m., through Feb. 23, $25 with a portion of proceeds going to Rivers favorite charities, 212-533-2680.

john brown: trumpet of freedom, explores the conscience of a man who commits violent acts against those he deems guilty of grave sins, set in the shadow of the gallows on the final day of Browns life as he composes a farewell letter to his abolitionist compatriots, ST. MARKS IN THE BOWERY, 131 E. 10th St., Sun., 4 p.m., through Feb. 20, $20, 718-784-0905.

a modern world, a comedy set in the not-too-distant future when gay marriage is legal in Brooklyn and two straight guys end up marrying each other to get health care, explores male pregnancy, the boundaries of friendship, HMOs, homos and G_D, CSV CULTURAL CENTER, Flamboyan Theater, 107 Suffolk St., Feb. 11, 8 p.m., $7-$15, 212-260-4080.

nine parts of desire, a portrait of the extraordinary lives of a whole cross-section of Iraqi women, lifting the veil on what it means to be a woman in the age-old war zone that is Iraq, MANHATTAN ENSEMBLE THEATER, 55 Mercer St., Tue.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 3 p.m., through Mar. 6, $60, 212-239-6200.

shift change, a hard hitting melodrama about a young theif and the elder warehouse foreman he encounters while hiding out that turns into a thrilling cat & mouse game spiraling into a haunting moral conclusion worthy of the best episodes of the Twilight Zone, PRODUCERS CLUB II, 616 Ninth Ave., Thu.-Sun., Mon., 8 p.m., Sun., 3 p.m., through Feb. 20, $15, 212-496-4571.

shylock, Gareth Armstrong takes the minor Shakespearian character Tubal to center stage to witness the funny, often unbelievable and doomed life of fictions most famous Jew, the play confronts and confounds the stereotypes of one of Shakespeares most compelling characters within the historic context of anti-semitism, THE PERRY STREET THEATER, 31 Perry St., Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 3 p.m., Sun., 7 p.m., through Mar., call for information, 212-352-0255.

Trudy Lee, a winsome duo that delight audiences with politically incorrect tales of their glory days in Vegas with the likes of Charo, Erik Estrada, Phyllis Diller and Sinbad as they weave their way through unique renditions of songs including Conga, Man in the Mirror, 9 to 5, and many others, DOMINION NY LOUNGE & THEATER, 428 Lafayette St., Thu., 8 p.m., Fri., 9 p.m., open ended, $20, 212-868-4444.

verbatim verboten, a hysterical, ever-changing revue of illicitly recorded and uncensored conversations from public figures, with a dozen pieces performed per show from a collection of nearly 100 transcripts, from Britney Spears to Rudy Giuliani, this show offers a peek into the real words of the famous, FEZ, inside Time Cafe, 380 Lafayette St., Mon., 7:30 p.m., through Feb. 28, $10, 212-533-2680.

Villager Listings are a community service to our readers, letting them know what is going on in and around the Downtown area during the week. Listings are free and are accepted until two weeks before the event date. In order to be considered for inclusion, send complete information via mail (487 Greenwich St. Suite 6A, NY, NY, 10013), fax (212-229-2790), or email (vilpaperlistings@aol.com); Generally listings above 21st Street will not be included in our coverage area.